Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-10-12
OPIUM CONSUMPTION.
Importation of the Drug Into the United
States Constantly Increasing.

States Constantly Increasing.
The consumption OF opium is con ,tantly
increaSing IN tho United States, SAYS the
Now York Commercial Advertiser. The in.
creased importation Is surprising, almost
startling, in Wow OF the known power of
tho drug aud its de!etorious effects when
incRutiously used. In no country except
China has its consumption vet reached
any extraordinary proportions, nor be-
como such On evil ~ to attract any con-
siderable degree OF public attention. In
China, however. its common use is recog-
nized as native evil. CHM dates its ex-
cessive use Of opium to the latter part OF
the last century. The opium trade of In
dia at that time passed into the
haudI OF tho East Indin Company,
which, finding a ready market in
China, pushed the trade for all il was
worth. Shortly before the beginning OF
the nineteenth century efforts of the
strongest kind were made to prevent the
use and importation OF opium. For smok-
ing opium the punishment was made ban
iShment or death, but still the amount con-
sumed continued to grow larger.
The Chinese Government has continued
TO demonstrate against the importation of
opium from India ever since, but without
avail, aud the importations rose from
1,O55,65I pounds to 1901, 500 pounds be-
tween 1880 and 1880. IL Is now estimated
that the amount Of opium produced in
southwestern China is two and half times
the quantity imported from India. In time,
China will produce all the opium It con-
sumes. Nine out Of eighteen Of its prov
inces now produce the drug, and four-flfths
OF the amount 1t consumes Is homegrown.
This increase is in the face Of prohibiting
edicts.
In the United States the amount of crude
opium imported in 1872 wns 1s9, 354 pounds;
in 1881, 243,2ll; in 1886, All ,2T6, and in 1887,
06S,263 pounds. The years end June 30.
The increase OF last year is to be attributed
chiefly to the state of the market, the price
having risen from $3.50 pound one yenr
ago, to Si.73 pound at present. This is
still below European prices, which in.
dictates further advance. The crude
opium imported into this country comes
exclusively from Turkey, Smyrna being
the place from which it is chiefly exported.
Inc crop that has just been gathered there
Is estimated at SO2, 400 pounds. The crop
Tor i've years succeeding 1880 averaged
more than three times as much, the lioht-
est crop for thirteen years past having
been that of 1880, when il was $4,000
pounds. Tho stock at present in this
country Is estimated at 10000 pounds.
The stock of Turkish opium in the world is
said to be $4,000 pounds.
Our Government has imposed a duty Of
$40 pound upon smoking opium since
1873 Prior to that date it was Sc. Impor.
tations OF smoking opium for different
years have been rs follows: 1872. 49.y75
pounds; 1880, 77,196 pounds; 1885, 46. sO7
pounds, and 1885,, @, 232 pounds. The chief
place OF Importation is San Francisco. 1t
will be seen that there has been a falling
OIL in the amount imported since the duty
OF $40 pound was imposed. 1t is doubt
full, however, whether this is not made up
by smuggling.
It Is evident from the figures given
above as to the importation of crude
opium that the consumption of the drug
has increased in this country greatly dur.
ing the past fifteen years. It Is used in a
crude state, after having been reduced to
powder, the Government not permitting
the importation Of any that does
not assay 10 per cent. Of morphine,
which is the active principle OF the
opium. IL IL chiefly used as morphine. "A
laudanum and paregoric- The fluid MKT
ure Of morphine, alcohol and water, Is
very commonly used in this country by
means OF hypodermic injections.
IL is also taken in the form of a powder.
one-tenth Of a grain being a fair dose for
an adult Its equivalent would be twenty
five drops Of laudanum. By q gradual
increase in its use an extraordinary
amount can finally be taken per day. A
physician OF this city bad patient q man